Window frame construction



March 22, 1955 F. w. KNOTT 2,704,588

WINDOW FRAME CONSTRUCTION INVENToR. Fra/7k 0M A710# ATTORNEYS March 22, 1955 F vw KNOTT 2,704,588

WINDOW FRAME CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Feb; 12. 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 wilful,"

March 22, 1955 F. w. KNo'r'r 2,704,588

wINnow FRAME CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Feb. l2. 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 PIES.

l 41/ [ll/A l lll//l// 'Y INVENTOR. Fra/7k W Kna United States Patent O WINDOW FRAME CONSTRUCTION Frank W. Knott, Weslaco, Tex., assignor to Wisco, Inc., Detroit', Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application February 12, 1947, Serial No. 728,171. Divided and this application June 16, 1951, Serial No. 231,921

7 Claims. (Cl. 189-76) This invention relates to a novel window frame construction which may be adjusted somewhat to accommodate variations in the wall opening which the window is adapted to cover.

This application is a division of my copending application serial No. 728,171 filed February l2, 1947, Patent Number 2,564,264, issued August 14, 1951.

The demand for large scale housing, and the high cost of housing, have created a demand for more efficient building methods. One method of satisfying the demand for lower cost, higher quality housing is quantity production. Quantity production necessitates a high degree of interchangeability of parts and this is accomplished with difficulty in the building industry because of the difficulty of attaining uniformity in dimensions. Thus, it is not practical to make houses having window openings built to precise limits in order that various standard size window openings may receive standard, mass productionbuilt windows having fixed dimensions.

It is an object of this invention to provide a window having a variable outside dimension so that it is not necessary to hold the window openings in building walls to extremely close tolerances. This and other objects are accomplished in a window so made that the outside dimension can be varied within rather wide limits. The window is so made that no on-the-job tailoring in the way of cutting to size is necessary. A window made according to this invention can be readily adjusted to size in a few minutes and is easily installed in the window opening of the building wall.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a window made according to this invention (section on line 1-1 of Fig. 2);

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the invention as seen from the inside of the house or building;

Fig. 3 is a view in section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a broken view in section substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partly in section substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 2 with the sash frames removed; n

Fig. 6 is a detail fragmentary view showing a portion of the window frame and illustrating the removability of a portion of the sash guide rail; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view from the direction of the arrows 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary ivew in section on line 7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a partial sectional view showing a detail of construction of the window frame; more specifically, Fig. 8 shows in detail the upper left-hand corner of the frame of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 9 is a view in section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view in detail of one of the elements shown in Fig. S;

Fig. 11 is a partial sectional view of the lower lefthand corner of the frame as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 12 is a view in section on line 12-12 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the reinforcing element used in fastening the window in place.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a window frame forming a closed rectangular loop is shown as made up of a top member 2, side members 4, and bottom member 6. As is best seen in Fig. 4, the side meinice bers 4 of the frame are open channels, the openings being at the outer edges. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the bottom member 6 is also a channel opening downward. Telescoping with the outwardly opening recesses iii each side member 4 is a pair of edge members 8 and 10. Edge members 8 and 10 are also channel-shaped in cross section, but having the channel openings facing inwardly. Edge members 12 and 14 telescope with the recess in the bottom frame member 6. The members 12 and 14 are channel-shaped in cross section having their openings extending upwardly. A bridge member 16 telescopes with the two side edge members 8 and 10 and closes the gap between them; similarly, a bridge member 18 telescopes with the bottom edge members 12 and 14 and closes the gap between them. As is best seen in Fig. 1, the bridge member 18 is a channel having inwardly turned edges 19 which co-operate with the edges of members 12 and 14. The bridge members 16 are similarly constructed. At its lower end, each edge member 1t) has secured to it, as by welding, riveting, or the like, an internal guide piece 20 which extends telescopingy into edge member 12 or 14.

At its two sides, on the inside edge, the window frame is provided with guide rails to guide the sliding movement of a plurality of sash frames. As can best be seen in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, the upper half of the window frame is provided with a guide rail portion 22. Guide rail portion 22 is preferably permanently secured to the side frame member 4, as by welding, riveting, or the like. The lower half of each side frame member 4 is provided with a removable guide rail`portion 24.

The complete guide rail consisting of portions 22 and 24 is shown here as having three spaced longitudinal ribs which co-operate with grooves or recesses in the edges of the aforesaid sash frames. As can be seen in the drawings, this invention embodies three sash frames, each of which carries a suitable 4barrier membrane. In the two sash frames 26 and 28, the barrier membrane is shown to be a sheet of window glass 30. In the sash frame 32 the barrier membrane' is shown to be a fly screen 34. The two glass sash frames 26 and 28 have outwardly extending channels at 'their outer edges which co-operate with the two outer ribs on the guide rails and inwardly extending channels adapted to receive a channelshaped resilient weather strip 36 made of any suitable material such as rubber or the like. The channel-shaped weather strip 36 receives the edge of the barrier membrane, in this case the glass panel 30.

The screen sash frame shown here as being disposed between the two glass sash frames is similarly provided in the vertical stiles thereof with outwardly directed grooves or recesses which receive the middle ribs on the guide rails. The screen sash frame is also provided in one side thereof adjacent its inside edge with a groove which receives the barrier membrane, in this case screen 34. Screen 34 is held in place by a resilient retaining member 38, retaining member 38 being wedged into the transverse groove, and holding the edge of screen 34 between it and the walls of the groove. Retaining membzr 38 preferably is made of an inexpensive extruded p astic.

Referring now especially to Figs. 5, 6, and 7, it will be seen that each of the removable guide rail portions 24 is provided with a pin 40 having a head 42. Pin 49 extends through an opening 44 in the side frame member 4. At the inside of the channel of the side frame member 4 there is a spring clip 46 secured in position by any suitable means such as screw 48. Spring clip 46 is provided with an enlarged intermediate portion 50 through which the head 42 is adapted to extend. As can be seen in Fig. 6, the inner face of side frame member 4 is notched at 52 to permit a knife blade, screw driver, or similar instrument to be inserted in back of guide rail portion 24 to permit it to be removed from the side frame member 4.

As is best seen in Fig. 1, the top frame member 2 is provided with a projection 54 and the bottom frame member 6 is provided with a projection 56. Projections 54 and 56 co-operate with the outwardly directed top and bottom channels in the glass frames 26 and 28 respectively to provide an effective weather seal. The removable guide rail portions 24 are disposed in notchedout recesses in the projections 56 (see Fig. 6).

The window is held in place in the opening of the building wall by any suitable fastening means such as screws 58 extending through the top frame member 2 and through the side edge members 8 and 10. In order to prevent crushing of the channel-shaped edge members 8 and 10, a V-shaped reinforcing member 60 is provided at each screw 58. A detail of the reinforcing member is shown in Fig. 13.

Figs. 8-12 show structural details of the window frame. From these figures it can be seen that the side frame member 4 has secured thereto, as by welding, an S-shaped hook or bracket 62. The top frame member 2 is provided at each end with an opening 64 into which the free end of hook 62 ts. A strut 66 is secured to the inside of hollow frame member 2 by any suitable means such as spot welding or the like, and is adapted to receive the threaded portion of a screw 68. Screw 68 permanently holds the two frame members 2 and 4 together.

At its lower end, each frame member 4 is provided with a tongue 70 which is bent out of the plane of the bottom of the channel of the frame member 4. A screw 72 holds tongue 70 securely assembled to the bottom frame member 6. The underside of the bottom frame member 6 is provided with two parallel ribs 74. The tongue 70 dies between and bears against these ribs to give added rigidity to the assembly (Fig. l2).

All the sash frames are preferably provided with friction means to hold the sash frame in any vertical position in which it may be placed in the rectangular window frame.

Operation The functioning of a Window made according to this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art by the foregoing description and from the following explanation:

A window approximately the size desired is adjusted to t the opening in the building wall by adjusting the edge members 8, 10, and 12, 14 in their respective recesses in the window and frame members 4 and 6. The window is secured to the building Wall by means of screws 58. For removal of the sash frames in the embodiment shown in Figs. l-7 inclusive, all the sash frames are pushed to the top. The displaceable guide rail portions 24 are then removed by means of a knife blade,

screw triver, or similar instrument being introduced into the notch 52 in back of the guide rail portion 24. By this means, the displaceable guide rail portion 24 is moved to the right as seen in Fig. 6 expanding the portion 50 of clip 46 to permit the passage of head 42 of pin 40. With the displaceable guide rail portions 24 on both sides removed and out of the way, the sash frames may then be moved down one by one from the top half of the window and taken out for cleaning, repairs, or the like.

I claim:

l. In a window, a frame having a pair of formed metal side members, formed metal top and bottom members abutting said side members at the ends thereof, vertical openings in the top and adjacent the ends of said top member, brackets carried by the side members having inwardly offset, up-turned free end portions extending into said openings and detachably fastening sald top member to the side members, separate strut elements carried by said top member below said brackets, screws extending through said side members and into said struts fastening said side members to said struts, tongues carried by and formed integrally with the side members at the lower ends thereof extending under said bottom member, spaced parallel ribs on said bottom member disposed at opposite sides of and bearing against the tongues to strengthen and give rigidity to the frame assembly, and screws fastening the tongues to said bottom member.

2. In a window, a frame having a pair of formed metal side members, formed metal top and bottom members abutting said side members at the ends thereof, vertical openings in the top and adjacent the ends of said top member, brackets carried by the side members having inwardly offset, upturned free end portions extending into said openings and detachably fastening said top member to the side member, tongues carried by and formed 1ntegrally with the side members at the lower ends thereof extending under said bottom member, spaced parallel ribs on said bottom member disposed at opposite sides of and bearing against the tongue to strengthen and give rigidity to the frame assembly, and screws fastening said tongues to the bottom member.

3. In a window, a frame having a pair of formed metal side members, formed metal top and bottom members abutting said side members at the ends thereof, strut elements carried by said top member, screws fastening said side members to said struts, tongues carried by and formed integrally with the side members at the lower ends thereof extending under said bottom member, spaced parallel ribs on said bottom member disposed at opposite sides of and bearing against the tongue to strengthen and give rigidity to the frame assembly, and screws fastening said tongues to the bottom member.

4. In a window, a frame having a pair of formed metal side members, formed metal top and bottom members abutting said side members at the ends thereof, said bottom member having a at, horizontal top wall and depending side anges, means detachably fastening said side members to said top member, tongues on and bent laterally from the side members at the lower ends thereof extending under said bottom member and engaging upwardly flatly against the top wall thereof, spaced, depending parallel ribs on the top wall of said bottom member disposed at opposite sides of and bearing against the tongues to stregnthen and give rigidity to the frame assembly, and screws fastening said tongues to the bottom member.

5. In a window, a frame having a pair of formed metal side members, formed metal top and bottom members abutting said side members at the ends thereof, said top member being of hollow rectangular construction in cross section, openings in the top wall of said top member adjacent the ends thereof, brackets carried by the side members having inwardly offset, upturned free end portions extending into said openings and detachably fastening said top member to the side members, strut elements carried by said top member below said brackets, screws fastening said side members to said struts, and means detachably fastening the side members to said bottom member.

6. In a window construction, right-angularly related channel-shaped frame members arranged with the bight portions thereof at the inner sides of the frame and with the ange portions thereof directed outwardly, one of said frame members abutting against the other frame member and the abutting portion thereof being slotted longitudinally at opposite sides of the bight, the portion of the bight between said slots defining a tongue, the abutted frame member having a pair of downwardly extending ribs on the bight portion thereof spaced laterally with respect to each other and from the flanges of the member, said tongue being bent at right angles from said abutting member, extending into the abutted member, engaging upwardly atly against the bight portion of said abutted member and fitting snugly between said ribs to strengthen and give rigidity to the assembly, and means fastening said tongue to the abutted frame member holding the two members solidly and rigidly together.

7. In a window construction, right-angularly related channel-shaped frame members arranged with the bight portions thereof at the inner sides of the frame and with the ange portions thereof directed outwardly, one of said frame members abutting against the other frame member and the abutting portion thereof being slotted longitudinally at opposite sides of the bight, the portion of the bight between said slots defining a tongue, the abutted frame member having a pair of downwardly extending ribs on the bight portion thereof spaced laterally with respect to each other and from the anges of the member, said tongue being bent at right angles from said abutting member, extending into the abutted member said abutting member, extending into the abutted member, engaging upwardly flatly against the bight portion of said abutted member and fitting snugly between said ribs to strengthen and give rigidity to the assembly, and screw means extending upwardly through said tongue and into threaded engagement with the overlying bight portion of said abutted frame member holding the two members solidly and rigidly together.

(References on following page) vReferences Cited in the le o! this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Michaels Nov. 29. 1927 5 Hubbert Apr. 7, 1931 Axe May 15, 1934 Hamm et al. Sept. 3, 1935 Verhagen Apr. 19, 1938 6 Hodson June 13, 1944 Webster Jan. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 30, 1927 Great Britain Feb. 25, 1932 Germany Ian. 5, 1939 

